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LECTURE 



ON 



lateral m\ %iritol §Ltmt t 



OR THE 



TRUE PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN HAPPINESS. 

DELIVERED AT THE 

° ITT KALL, NEW BEDFORD, 
June 15th, 1855. 



HUMPHREY DAVIS, JR. 

TO WHICH IS ADDED THE 

CAUSE OF THE POTATO DISEASE 

AND ITS BEST EEMEDY. 



"=wvarafaK.tt:arsaf» 



NEW BEDFORD: 

PKINTED FOR THE AUTHOR. 

1855. 



LECTURE 



ON 



ffotral anfo Sjiritaal £»e, 



OR THE 



TRUE PHILOSOPHY OF HUMAN HAPPINESS. 



DELIVERED AT THE 



OIT-5T HALL, TTEW BEDFORD, 
June 15th, 1855. 

BY 

HUMPHKEY V DAVIS, JR. 

TO WHICH IS ADDED THE 

CAUSE OF THE POTATO DISEASE, 

AND ITS BEST REMEDY. 




NEW BEDFORD: ' fhst/to 
PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR. ' 
1865. 



•1)4 



INTRODUCTION 



This pamphlet, containing a lecture delivered June 15th, 1855, at the City 
Hall, in New Bedford, to which is added some amount of matter that could 
not be delivered at the time, on account of its making the lecture too lengthy, 
is humbly presented to the public, fully believing that it will be read 
■with interest by all intelligent, unprejudiced and honest men, as it con- 
tains truths that are of infinite importance to all beings that possess ths 
precious gift of reason. The author does not profess to be any thing mora 
than a guide-board to point to the place where true happiness and 
Spiritual truth, that is the only saviour from sin, can be found ; also does! 
not in the least degree desire one single soul that may chance to read this to 
Ibelieve one doctrine as set forth, without gaining sufficient evidence of 
its truths, as it is belief without evidence that causes so much trouble in 
the world ; therefore I wish as much as in me lies to warn all men against 
this monster error. Every man in order to be saved from sin must experi- 
ence truth for himself. 



LECTURE. 



Oh ! God inspire my heart, dictate what I may say 

To those who are assembled here, that they may learn the way 

That leads to endless bliss, where nought can them annoy, 

Where wickedness cannot prevail, their peace there to destroy. 

May they be truly wise and hear what I may say, 

In speaking words to them, Thou givest, I do most humbly pray, 

May they in silence sit, and grant a listening ear 

To truths that sounded here this night, and learn their God to fear. 

I'm perfect weakness Lord, I know it is the case ; 

No good can I impart unless I see Thy face ; 

'Tis Thou that does it all, no truth from me can sound, 

Unless Thou give it unto me, as I have truly found, 

Thy peace it is that fills my soul — unworthy as I am, 

I love Thee with my heart and soul, Thou ever blessed Lamb, 

Thou givest me confidence to face a wicked frowning world, 

Thy truth to boldly recommend though Satan's darts be hurled, 

To take my life, my peace destroy, and lay me in the dust, 

Because I tell them of their wrongs, they would me have aocursed. 

'Tis in Thy love I have no fear, no darts that Satan sends, 

In Thy parental arms I am, in truth my trial ends, 

In Thee I'll live, in Thee I'll trust, 'tis such that pleases Thee, 

Who love Thee with their inmost soul, who in Thy causes be. 

In love I say unto you all, who have come here to-night, 

Embrace the truth with all your souls, in such God takes delight, 

'Tis such alone are always safe, 'tis such that in Him dwell, 

All others down to ruin go into the lowest hell. 

Believe me for it is God's truth, what I to you relate, 

Believe me for the time will come, when it will be too late, 

The present time is only ours, no promise of a day, 

Therefore all men should be prepared, all should their God obey, 

The moments as they pass, do near all to the grave, 

'Tis solemn, man should die and have no God to save ; 

Often times my eyes do flow with tears when I in secret am, 

When I in meditation view the fallen state of man. 

My Friends and Fellow Citizens : — 

It is under a deep sense of gratitude to my God, and you, 
that I, an unworthy individual, present myself before this audi- 
ence, which is as I entertain, composed of some of my friends. 
Yes, I feel a diffidence, on account of fearing that what I may 
say on this occasion, may not be interesting to you, and you may 
feel when retiring from this Hall, that you have not been com" 
pensated for your trouble. It is reasonable for me to suppose 
that many, and perhaps all of you, have feelings of distrust as 
regards my ability as a speaker, also my honesty of purpose. I 
should think it very strange and almost miraculous if it were not 



so, as some of you know that I never had but very limited means 
for school education, having no knowledge of grammar, except 
what I have learned by common sense, dictated by reason, since 
I was twenty-one years of age, also that this is the first public 
lecture that I ever attempted to deliver before an audience. 

If time would afford on this occasion, I should have liked to 
have given you a condensed history of my own narrative on the 
ocean of human life, not however, on my own account in the 
least degree to enlist your sympathies in my behalf, not to grati- 
fy any self-love that I may possess, not to gain your confidence 
or esteem that I may gain any worldly object of honor or profit, 
not to gain notoriety to gratify self-love or ostentation from my 
fellow men. My sole object would be to warn those who are 
young in years, who have but very little knowledge of the vicis- 
situdes attending human life, to shun certain sunken rocks, 
shoals, breakers, and iron bound shores with which they will 
have to encounter. I have experienced very many changes 
on my voyage thus far. Sometimes sailing in the ship Ad- 
venture, in which all men must make their voyage, having 
been many days with a fair wind and clear sky, no clouds in the 
horizon, the beautiful sun shining in all its splendour, with high 
expectations and fond hopes of arriving to the place of my desti- 
nation. But alas ! how many times have I been doomed to dis- 
appointment and despair. Many times in the most unexpected 
manner the wind would suddenly change to a gale, the tempest- 
uous elements would rage with all their fury, expecting every 
moment would be the last, that my destruction was inevitable, 
the ship being on a lea shore lined with breakers all around. At 
other times I have been beset by pirates, robbers, and thieves 
on all sides ; sometimes they would come on board and by their 
artifice or force rob me of all my earthly goods ; sometimes they 
would beat me and leave me almost dead. Yes, my friends^ 
many are the times on this momentous voyage that your humble 
speaker has been driven to the brink of despair and almost to 
desperation; many times I have sought death with all the 
ardor of my inmost soul. I have begged my God in my agony 
with my crie3, with my eyes flowing with tears, to sever the ten- 
der cord that held me to earth, feeling entirely destitute of earth- 



ly friends, who could assist me in my forlorn condition. Yea, my 
friends, it is impossible for me by any language that I can com- 
mand to portray to you my melancholy tale on the sea of human 
life in its true colors. In taking a retrospective view of my past 
life it is a wonder of wonders to me that I am in existence to 
speak to you to night, it is nothing short of the ever blessed in- 
finite power of Almighty God that rescued me from eternal de- 
struction, after trying every earthly means that I could invent 
to save me from utter despair. I, as a last resort, gave my all 
up without the least reserve to the Infinite, promising in the , 
most solemn manner, if He would only deliver me I would be 
His obedient servant all my days ; at length in His own good 
time He delivered me from all my enemies, forgave me all past 
offences, and also promised to be my shield throughout all eter- 
nity, if I would love, fear, and obey His command. I made my 
solemn vow to this effect, which caused His peace to flow in me 
like a river, and his righteousness like the waves of the sea. It 
is in this peace and love that casts out all fear, that I now ap- 
pear on this occasion to address you in Gospel love, for your im- 
mortal souls. I do not stand here in a spirit of dictation ; I do 
not stand here to injure or hurt any one's feelings ; I do not 
stand here to apply one remark that I may make personally ; I 
do not stand here to judge any man ; I do not stand here to try 
to build up any outward form or sect, nor to break down any 
outward form or sect, politically or ecclesiastically. This, my 
friends, is not my calling. I am no sectarian in politics or reli- 
gion. I have long ceased to be a party man in a temporal sense. 
I do not stand here with the most distant desire for you to do as 
I may say, unless you examine and analize what I may promul- 
gate in your hearing, and gain an evidence of the truth or falsi- 
ty of the doctrines I may declare, I will here say that no wise 
man will ever believe any thing without evidence sufficient to 
satisfy him of its truth, not even the Scriptures ; it is this belief 
without evidence that has caused so much misery, contention, 
and spiritual darkness in this world. I do stand here to declare 
truths that I do know and fully believe; it will not make one 
particle of difference to my peace, nor will it exalt or debase 
me, let your decision be what it may. I of myself am nothing 



8 

more than an humble instrument through which the Infinite 
sounds His truths. I have the advantage of most men. Being 
nothing, causes me not to fear the sharpest marksman ; all I 
have to do is to be always ready for use whenever the Infinite 
may see fit. I am not my own keeper, I am perfect weakness 
without Him — I cannot raise one finger. 

I am authorized by the Infinite to declare unto you, that there 
is but one way of salvation from sin, there is no other way or 
name under Heaven or amongst men, given by the Infinite 
whereby man can be saved or redeemed from sin, but spiritual 
truth, which is the only begotten son of the Eternal, and the 
only principle that can possibly make man one with Him, and is 
all the spiritual Christ or Savior that ever was, or ever will be ; 
hence it is plain to the spiritual mind, that no saving truth can 
be learned from man or book, not even the Bible. The truths 
of the Scriptures as well as all spiritual men, never was, nor 
never will be any thing more than a guide-board to point the 
weary traveller, where he can obtain true peace and happiness. 
The Scriptures were wrote by eminent men, by those who were 
in possession of a large share of spiritual knowledge, but like 
all other men were fallible — they wrote the best they knew. I 
would not detract one particle of their spiritual w r orth, for my 
right hand. I have read them with much care and without pre- 
judice, and my reason dictated by spiritual truth has plainly 
manifested to my spiritual understanding, that the Scriptures 
contain many errors and inconsistencies. Hence, men with all 
the natural science that they could acquire at Theological Sem- 
inaries, studying the works of the most celebrated commentators 
in Christendom, and have professed to preach the everlasting 
gospel of peace and good will to all men, have gone down to the 
grave in spiritual darkness, they having professed almost all 
their lives to be in possession of the keys of knowledge, have 
not obtained saving truth, and those who are desirous to obtain 
it they hinder — in the words of Scripture, they are like whiten- 
ed sepulchres, having a fair outward appearance of sanctity and 
devotion, but within, are full of rottenness and dead men's bones. 
They preach the doctrines and traditions of men almost all their 
lives, not being in possession of spiritual knowledge to know 



whether they are true or false. It is plain to the spiritual mind 
that all those who gain knowledge in this way, and teach men so, 
are the greatest outward curse that the human family have to 
contend with ; they are the cause and means of making thou- 
sands of captives, making them believe in strong delusions that 
they may be damned ; they preach for hire, and divine for mon- 
ey ; they rob the widow and fatherless, and are in the lowest 
pits of spiritual Babylon. The different sects are continually at 
war, contending for the mastery and accusing each other of being 
in spiritual darkness, when in truth there is but little choice 
amongst them ; being spiritually blind they lead the blind, and 
all fall into spiritual darkness. There are thousands of precious 
souls duped by these misguided leaders, that are accepted by 
the Infinite ; their credulity and sincerity of purpose causes the 
Infinite to accept them inasmuch as they have been truly sin- 
cere, hence they cannot enter the highest spheres, but enjoy in 
proportion to their spiritual attainments in this life and that 
which is to come. 

We live, my friends, melancholy to relate, in a day of great 
spiritual darkness amongst those making the highest professions 
of Christianity. But depend upon it I speak the truth, I lie not. 
There is a wrestling seed about to be developed, which will be 
clothed with humility as a garment, having the everlasting gos- 
pel of peace and good will to all men, which will boldly go forth 
in perfect meekness and simplicity, standing on the rock of eter- 
nal truth, declaring in the face of all opposition tidings of 
great joy, who can say in the glorious truth that unto them a 
child is born, a son is given, who has taken the government 
of them upon his shoulders, who leadeth them beside still waters 
into green pastures, and up to the mount of the eternal, the 
blessed city, the new Jerusalem, the eternal abode of all that 
are sanctified, where there are rivers of pleasure and that for- 
evermore. Yes, my friends, God's truth is sounded through me 
to you, who am in and of myself the weakest of all men, but 
through Him who first loved me I can run over a troop, I can 
leap over a wall ; I have nothing to fear, neither life nor 
death, principalities nor powers, things present nor yet to come, 
possessing (as the eternal in his unbounded goodness has caused 



10 

me, a poor unworthy worm,) his perfect love. Poor in this world's 
goods, yet possessing all things, having no envy, no malice, wish- 
ing no evil to one single soul, forgiving all my enemies freely. 
Yes, my friends, men are surrounded without with ravenous 
wolves and within have many fears, who seek to destroy the 
saints of the most High ; but they who trust in the eternal have 
nothing to fear, their dwellings are in perfect safety. We have 
fanatics of every stripe and zealots of the deepest die, who are 
traveling about continually, doing all in their power to set man 
against man, State against State, North against South, and Na- 
tion against Nation ; striving with all their might to work upon 
the baser passions of men, to lead them to all manner of excess. 
They lay hold of every popular theme in which they imagine 
they can gratify their own self-aggrandizement. They lay hold 
of the slavery question, in their blind zeal, calling themselves the 
friends of the slave ; they here in our own State are almost con- 
tinually preaching in our ears, and are holding up to our 
view the Southern slaveholder, to be one of the wickedest de- 
mons on the face of the earth ; they are warring and do all their 
fighting at a distance, their objects of destruction are in a far 
distant State. They are continually firing their heaviest guns 
and missiles, and have been for years, and have not in one 
single instance given the death blow to those wicked slavehold- 
ers, as they would fain make all men believe. Now I say, my 
friends, let us no more be led astray by these misguided men, 
whose whole course leads to anarchy and distraction, having the 
beam of self-love, of self-aggrandizement in their own eyes, they 
are totally blind to all just and true principles. They do not see 
in their own State and neighborhood, that Massachusetts has two 
of the greatest slaveholders in all the States, whose names are 
avarice and self-love, they do not see that it is their imperative 
duty, before repairing to other States, to rectify the faults of 
their own ; they tell men about involuntary servitude, they 
preach that it does not exist only in what they call slave- 
holding States ; in this, they are blind or ignorant, or they are 
deceivers and hypocrites. The poor laborers in this State are 
as involuntary laborers, as the slaves of the South. The poor 
have to do the labor of the rich for such wages as they can get, 



11 

unless they do this they must starve. Voluntary slavery exists 
here in Massachusetts, to as great an extent, in proportion to its 
population, as it does in any State in this Union, and amongst 
those who purport to be the most wealthy. Also the poor, 
they are slaves to avarice, self-love, to pomp, and vain show, 
which is slavery, infinitely worse and more dangerous, than all 
the other slavery that exists on the face of the whole earth, and 
has been the destruction, yearly, of its thousands and tens of 
thousands. These two monster slaveholders are the cause of all 
the confusion, bloodshed and trouble existing in the world, and 
ever has been. 

The Temperance cause, as it is commonly called, is another 
delusion. As it is politically managed, there are in our midst 
fanatics, deceivers, hypocrites and zealots, or they are ignorant 
of all just and true principles. Our legislators strive to do that 
for others which they cannot do for themselves, they undertake 
to make laws to keep others from sinning, and of themselves 
cannot keep from sin without the aid of the Infinite. They be- 
hold as they fully imagine, monster evils in others, but do not 
gee those of far greater magnitude in themselves. They see the 
poor inebriate, whose weakness lies in inebriation ; they say that 
fellow is not fit to live in society, they take him before a magis- 
trate, he sends him to the House of Correction or Jail, for days 
and months, for being overcome by his weakness. This poor ine- 
briate, although despised by these wicked men, who are des- 
titute of true charity, he may be in a far better state in the 
sight of the Infinite, than his hardened accusers. Such know 
and realize in their sober moments, their weakness, they feel 
sorrowful, they make many promises in secret, that they never 
will be caught again. But alas ! poor human nature is too 
weak, they are overtaken again in the same fault; as they 
pass along through the streets, in the by-ways, they are beset on 
all sides by the demon of darkness, standing in his hellish den, 
for paltry gain, with his fascinating bottles in hand containing the 
damning poison, doing all in his power to allure the poor inebriate, 
who, perhaps, has a fond and virtuous wife, and a large family of 
children dependent upon their deluded parent for their support 
vho are in a state of starvation, who would otherwise be com- 



12 

fortable and happy, were it not for these hells of pollution. 
There is no traffic amongst men, that is caused by monster 
avarice, fraught with so many evils. These evils cannot be 
subdued by all the legislative enactments that human wisdom 
may devise, it is impossible for evil to overcome evil ; all evil 
that ever was overcome in individuals, or in States or Nations, 
or ever will be, was and must be overcome with good. No leg- 
islative power that ever was, or ever will be, ever did or ever 
can, force one single individual to be good, temperate and virtu- 
ous. Yea, verily, no man can make himself so. All reforms of 
every description in nature are brought about by .the laws of 
kindness and christian love. All who strive for reforms in any 
other way, stand on sandy foundations and in the end must fail. 
Their zeal is not according to true knowledge, it is caused by 
their ignorance, or it proceeds from avarice and self-love, that 
they may gain self-aggrandizement and notoriety amongst men. 
It is characters like these that see the poor inebriate in his 
weakness, abuse his nature and race, by his habits of intoxica- 
tion. They say the evil must be remedied. Hence they go into 
the legislature, in their false zeal, enact some of the most strin- 
gent laws that human wisdom can possibly invent, to remedy at 
once this monster. They do not stop one moment to rightly 
consider what they are doing. They assume a spirit of dictation 
that does not belong to legislators, nor individual men ; they are 
usurpers of human rights, anti-republican and unchristian ; be- 
cause they see a poor, weak, deluded individual abuse one of 
the blessings that God has bestowed on his creature man, they 
legislate and enact laws, that other men, who never abused the 
blessing shall not be allowed to partake of it without incurring a 
penalty, fine, or imprisonment. I say again, such laws are a 
disgrace to humanity, common sense, and are unchristian and 
anti republican, wholly at variance with the just rights of man in 
every particular, and never can be enforced with any good re- 
sults, and will not be tolerated by just and sensible men. 
Every individual man in a limited sense, is a sovereign, he comes 
from his creator endowed with a portion of the precious gift of 
reason to profit withal. He is created free to choose for him- 
self, knowing the penalty if he disobeys the divine command ; 



13 , 

therefore if he transgresses, he incurs the greatest suffering of 
any one. I do not express these views because that I, as an in- 
dividual, care one particle about the stringency of the liquor 
law, for I do not. As an individual, if it were possible and would 
be attended with more good than evil, to have all intoxicating 
beverages annihilated from this globe, I would not raise my hand 
against its destruction. But I feel it to be my duty to advocate 
the just rights of man, the rights that the God of nature has, in 
His infinite goodness, so bountifully bestowed upon all. 

It is just as sinful, in the sight of the Infinite, for the poor 
man to infringe upon the just rights of the rich, as it is for the 
rich man to withhold a*nd deprive the poor man of his just rights. 
Also, it is as wrong in the sight of high Heaven, for man who is 
endowed with reason, to deprive animals, destitute of reason, of 
their just right, as it is to usurp it from man. It is a sin to take 
the life of animals of any description, unless it is done out of 
necessity. It is a sin for man to over-work, over-load, over-drive, 
or in any way to abuse them, as many of them are created for 
man's use and enjoyment, but were not created for his abuse 
in any instance. 

I will now, my friends, proceed to relate in as plain a manner 
as my feeble powers will allow and with as few words as possible, 
some of the mysteries of the Infinite that have been manifested 
to my spiritual understanding, and not in the" spirit of claiming 
for myself to be in possession of more knowledge than other men, 
or that I am any more a favorite of the Infinite than any other 
man. I know naturally it is not the case. I know that the 
God of nature is no respecter of persons. I know that all wha 
love, fear and obey Him, He does accept the world over. I 
know all such without distinction will have His divine and saving 
mysteries manifested to their spiritual understanding, accompa- 
nied by His infinite and irresistible proof, and none but such 
can possibly possess it. I do not enter upon this part of my 
subject with the least idea of vain boasting or self-conceitj, 
for as I have before tried to impress upon your minds, I 
have nothing wherein to boast of, but with shame and confusion* 
of face humbiy confess that I have been one of the chief of sin- 
ners ; a large share of my life has been spent in vain delusions, 

B 



, 14 

and I will here state that the only way that I ever obtained 
spiritual knowledge has been by abstraction from all sinful lusts, 
which is the only way that saving knowledge is manifested to 
intelligent beings, or ever will be ; in this way I have received 
all the spiritual communications that I ever had, and by proof 
that was irresistible. In this way I was made to understand 
causes that no natural science could possibly reach or demon- 
strate. In this way I was enabled to have a knowledge of 
nature and nature's God. By seeing effects I could trace many 
of their causes, and will here state that all the spiritual truth 
which alone saves man from sin, I learned by studying nature and 
nature's God. In nature's wide and infinitely gorgeous temple 
I first learned that matter was infinite, and existed out of neces- 
sity, as it was infinitely impossible for it to be otherwise, as such 
a thing as nothing could not possibly exist, consequently it was 
made plain to my spiritual mind that annihilation was impossible. 
I also learned that the whole chaos was filled with this infinite 
matter long before, it contained any visible objects to natural 
senses. This infinite matter contained all the elements of crea- 
tive power, spiritual and natural, hence all spiritual and natural 
laws were created by it, and all work in perfect harmony one 
with the other, and it is infinitely impossible for it to be other- 
wise ; it was also made plain to my spiritual understanding, that 
this infinite chaos, containing this infinite matter, containing all 
infinite laws, were eternally progressive, and also will continue 
to be, throughout all eternity. It is^ plain to the spiritual 
mind that this infinite matter, containing its infinite laws, all 
working in perfect unity one with the other, in process of time, 
caused visibility to natural senses to usher forth. It is also plain 
to the spiritual mind that the first visible object in this solar sys- 
tem was the sun. He being kept in his place wholly by the 
repulsive powers of all the elements of his solar system, which 
are continually revolving around him with great velocity from 
west to east, hence it is impossible for him to get out of place. 
His heat is wholly caused by friction, as he evidently revolves 
on hi3 own axis from east to west, and having no atmosphere 
and going in an opposite direction from the elements that sur- 
round him, causes friction sufficient for him to retain uniform 



15 

heat, and that continually without a particle of variation. Was 
it not for this law of nature, the sun would become in time a 
solid, cold and hard substance, resembling pure gold in its un- 
melted cold state, consequently would not contain or cause any 
heat. The sun as it now exists represents the purest gold in its 
greatest possible heated state ; "although the sun is luminous, he 
does not contain in himself any explosive quality, but causes it in 
other matter or bodies. The elements or matter nearest the sun, 
have something of the appearance of an atmosphere which 13 
caused by the incomprehensible heat of the sun and extends as 
far as the elements or matter that immediately surround him are 
heated. Nucleus bodies are continually forming and disappear- 
ing on the outer edge of the heated matter that surround the 
sun, some of which are so dense that they may be seen by the 
inhabitants of this earth, when they are in range of the sun, and 
appear to be spots on him r - which is generally supposed by 
astronomers to be the case, but is erroneous. It is evident to 
the spiritual mind that the chaos in which this solar system ex- 
ists has its limits or bounds, and is in the form of a globe ; also 
that it revolves with hundreds of other systems of the same kind, 
around another centre millions of times more powerful than our 
sun, on the same principles that the planets of our solar system 
revolve around him. This magnificent centre does not like our 
sun create any visible objects as the suns of the solar systems: 
that belong to the family of this monster centre do the creating 
of all visibility, and it is rational to believe that as there was a 
beginning of visible creation of the planets, there will be an 
end when each solar system will have its full compliment of 
planetary bodies, and the causes that produced them will cease 
to operate, their work being accomplished, having nothing to op- 
erate upon, unless by some convulsion in nature a planet should 
wholly or in part be changed to the elements from which it was 
produced, the causes that first begat its visible existence would 
immediately operate again as at first or before. It is also plain 
that the sun is a pure body, containing no alloy, always possess- 
ing heat and attraction, sufficient to sustain heat and keep his 
family of planets in their proper orbits. It is also perfectly plain 
to the spiritual mind that the sun is the main creator of all 



16 

the planets in the solar system that surround him, and that 
they could not possibly exist without him. It is also evident 
that each of his planets contain enough of his quality for him to 
have power to sustain and keep them in their proper places, 
as every thing in nature have begetting and conceiving tenden- 
cies, and may be said in truth to be male and female — and 
inasmuch as the sun created the planets by which he is surround- 
ed, they are like him. He being the pure magnetic pole of 
this solar system, it is also evident that the first planet crea- 
ted in this solar system was Mercury, as this planet is 
nearest the sun ; the second was Venus, and the next in order 
was our Earth, and so on. The last planet created by him 
being the fartherest from him. The sun's quality is pro- 
gressive and is continually creating, and will continue to 
he until his purposes are effected. It is evident that all the 
planets are of about the same material, their nearness or dis- 
tance from the sun makes but very little if any difference as to 
Che heat that he causes, as they all have atmospheres adapted to 
their distance from him. It is also plain that the sun cannot 
create a planet without an atmosphere, consequently they all are 
or doubtless will be inhabited. The sun's influence on the plan- 
ets is attractive ; the planets are all repulsive to him, inas- 
much as they do not partake of his quality. Was it not for this 
law of nature, the sun would draw all the planets out of their 
orbits to himself. I will state in this connection that the satel- 
lites or moons were, evidently, created by the planets that they 
revolve around. They each contain enough of the planet's 
quality to which they belong to have sufficient power of attrac- 
tion to keep them in their proper orbits, on the same principles 
that the sun keeps and sustains his family. Satellites or moons 
are all repulsive, inasmuch as they do not partake of the plan- 
ets quality to which they belong. Was it not for this quality, 
they would be drawn by their farther planets out of their or- 
bits to their begetters ; hence the nearer the satellites are to the 
planets the more their repulsive powers are manifested, partic- 
ularly on the ocean — as the nearer the satellites or moons are to 
the planets to which they belong, the more dense the elements are 
between them and their begetters, hence they can come thus 



17 

far and no farther. The moons or satellites, like the sun, have no 
atmosphere, as it is evident they contain no water nor heat — it is 
also evident that where no fresh water exists, in or on any body 
of matter that there can be no evaporation. Consequently the 
body would have no atmosphere. It is also plain that if it were 
not for the wonderful and perfect laws of nature, in causing fresh 
water to be continually running into the ocean, to supply its 
evaporation, the ocean would lose its equilibrium, and in time be- 
come consolidated into salt. 

I' will now proceed to another order of creation. I shall pass 
over much that would be interesting to reflecting minds that are 
dictated by sound reason and common sense, enlightened by 
spiritual philosophy, and shall begin this part of my discourse by 
taking our planet, or this globe that we inhabit, to illustrate the 
knowledge and views that I have learned in this important 
school of nature. After this globe by the wonderful laws of na- 
ture, had so far progressed as in part to, become consolidated, 
and the solids to be separated from the liquid, the sun causing 
and creating heat in process of time, by the infinite machinery 
of nature, the first seed of the vegetable was formed and de- 
veloped to natural vision. At the same time the operation of 
the sun on the watery element caused nourishment to exist for 
whatever it might contain. In process of time, the laws of na- 
ture continually progressing, the lower order of beings were crea- 
ted on the earth and in the watery elements, hence the com- 
mencement of the visible animal creation, and so on in continual 
progression up to the creation of man, who by far is infinitely 
superior to all other animals, he having two tendencies or na- 
ture s — one tending to positive good the other to positive evil ; 
being also endowed by the God of nature with reasoning faculties. 
Self-love is developed in all human beings in their earliest infan- 
cy — first by instinct, second by natural reason. In the first 
place the infant nestles for its mother's breast ; secondly, as its 
reason begins to operate it covets little playthings* The little 
boy desires the little whip, the little waggon, the top, the little 
hammar, &c; the little girl covets the little doll, the little baby 
things, the needle, the little bits of pretty calicos, &c, each ac- 
cording to their sex. In the first place selfish principles begin 

r>2 



18 

to develop themselves in children ; for instance, if SQrne kind 
friend gives a child two oranges, one being larger than the other, 
and tells the child one is for him or her, as the case may be, the 
other is for his or her brother, such child will be almost sure to 
select the largest for him or herself, hence as the child advances 
in life, self-love or avarice developes itself more and more, so long 
as he or she is governed by natural impulses. Man's reason 
therefore is the only cause which makes him an accountable 
being, that gives him the preeminence over all other animals, 
without which he would be inferior to them all, as his instinctive 
faculties are not by far so acute as is the animals destitute of 
reason. It is evident that all animals destitute of reason are 
progressive, and it is impossible for it to be otherwise, but as 
man is endowed by his Creator with the precious gift of reason, 
he being created free to choose for himself, it is plain to the 
spiritual mind that it wholly depends upon man's will, whether 
he progresses or not. If man is so unwise as to be governed by 
the positive evil tendency or nature he possesses, and does not 
improve the talents that the God of nature has so bountifully be- 
stowed, he does not answer the end that he might attain. But 
it is evident to the spiritual mind that all other animals do to 
perfection. Hence when man in this state comes to the end of 
this mortal life without adding to the talent or talents that he 
had received from his Creator, the talent or talents return to 
him who bequeathed it, or then without any improvement, and 
he to the element to which he belongs, which is eternal dark- 
ness, and is in a far more deplorable state after death than the 
lower order of animals. It is evident to the spiritual mind that 
there is but one step of progression between the highest order of 
animals, destitute of reason, up to man. On the other hand, all 
those intelligent beings who are endowed with the precious gift 
of reason, if they are so infinitely wise, as to improve the talent 
or talents gratuitously bestowed upon them by their infinite Cre- 
ator by yielding their natural evil tendencies, or will, wholly to 
be governed by the positive good tendency, and continue in this 
until the end of their mortal state, (which is possible,) he will in 
his mortal state enjoy perfect peace and contentment, and experi- 
ence a continual progression in spiritual knowledge and happi- 



19 

ness, and after the death of his mortal body, be prepared to pro- 
gress into the highest sphere, where nothing but positive good 
can possibly exist, where infinite knowledge and felicity eternal- 
ly reigns in its fulness. Hence, from what has been said it is plain 
to the spiritual mind, that the creation of man is co-existent with 
matter, and consequently is eternal; it is evident that the 
sun could not have existed without the first existence of infi- 
nite matter; that the planets could not have existed with- 
out the existence of the sun ; that the satellites could not 
have existed without the planets ; that vegetable life could 
not have existed without the sun and his family of planets ; that 
animal life could not exist without the vegetable, and spiritual or 
infinite life could not exist without the animal. It is also evi- 
dent and rational for the spiritual mind to believe that all causes 
when effected, cease to exist, as for instance, the causes that first 
created the seed of the vegetable, ceased to create as at first, 
after the vegetable produced its own seed, and it is evident will 
ever remain so to be, unless the seed should be entirely destroy- 
ed, in which case the causes that first created the seed would 
immediately operate again as at first. The same is the case 
with the animal ; the causes that first produced them ceased to 
operate as at first after their first creation, and they are caused 
to exist through other agencies, and will ever remain to be, un- 
less by some convulsion in nature, all animal life should cease to 
exist ; in such case the causes that first produced them would 
operate as before. It is perfectly manifest to me, my friends, 
and I think it must be to you, that all opinions formed in the 
first place in the human mind are obtained from two sources, one 
is positive the other is speculative. A man may be as positive of 
the latter as he is of the former ; the latter requires faith, the for- 
mer does not. From one or both of these sources all intelligent 
beings form their principles of belief spiritual and natural. It is 
evident that man living in accordance with his spiritual nature, 
will in time progress to a state where his knowledge is all from a 
positive source, a sphere where no faith is required. Instinctive 
knowledge is the first that is developed in human beings. The 
second is reason, which is of the most minute beginning. The 
growth of the latter depends much upon circumstances, as it 



20 

may be greatly improved or injured by early training. No be- 
ing is accountable until it possesses the knowledge of truth from 
error ; this knowledge is manifested by man's reason ; the pos- 
session of this is where man first commences to investigate for 
himself. Here is where all intelligent beings are on an equal 
footing in regard to true knowledge ; all have equal rights, as 
it has before been expressed, to one and the same fountain, 
where true and saving knowledge is only taught, which is na- 
ture and is taught by nature's God. Hence, man in the right 
exercise of his reason, according to the measure he has received, 
is led to investigation ; he seeing effects, traces their causes — of 
some he gains positive knowledge, while of others his information 
is wholly speculative ; he may be as positive of some of the 
latter as the former — the latter requires faith, the former does 
not. Man being created with aspirations for infinite knowledge, 
eagerly tries to ascertain from whence he came and whither he 
is bound. This important inquiry has caused more speculation 
and trouble to human minds, probably, than all other inquiries 
put together. Thousands live and die doubting on this momen- 
tous subject. The spiritual man values all men by their spirit- 
ual worth ; the natural man by their worldly wealth, honor or 
fame ; hence the natural man knows aught but natural things, 
sees aught but natural things, hears aught but natural 
sounds; the spiritual man knows natural and spiritual things, 
sees natural and spiritual things, hears natural and spiritual 
sounds ; the spiritual mind sees perfectly clear, as has before 
been stated, all laws in nature are perfect, and work in perfect 
harmony one with the other, and man by obeying all their 
teachings will experience in due time his animal or carnal 
nature, brought to a state of perfection ; he will be brought to 
see perfectly clear, that nature creates no one object, or thing, 
unless it first produces laws to govern it, and there is no state 
or condition, which man may possibly be in, but what nature 
creates a sphere adapted to his state and condition, spiritual 
and natural. It is therefore perfectly clear to the spiritual 
mind that all reforms must begin with individuals. Every 
man must rectify his own faults before he undertakes to rectify 
others, if he expects to succeed, and if he is wise for himself he 



21 

will do so. Every wise man after he has been enabled to get his 
garden clear of all noxious weeds, and his fruits are of the choic- 
est kind and yield in great abundance, begins to look around 
and try to see how his neighbour is getting along, feeling anxious 
that his neighbor may be as well off as himself. He goes to him 
in this wise : in a spirit of love, says he to his neighbor, I have 
called on you at this time to ask your permission to go into your 
garden to examine your fruit, as I am very fond of that -which 
is good and take great delight in testing the different qualities ; 
his neighbor consenting, he repairs to his garden, commences his 
examination of the different qualities, some he finds to be tolera- 
ble, but none perfect to his taste, that which appeared the fair- 
est and best, on testing its qualities he found it very bitter, 
coarse grained, very sour, hard, and rotten-hearted, having but 
very little juice, very undesirable to his taste. He doubtless 
would ask him what the name of the fruit was that he disliked so 
much ; he would in all probability say it was called by the name 
of avarice which would appear quite appropriate ; he would also 
be likely to say that he obtained it because almost every one 
with whom he was acquainted, grew much of this fruit, which 
was the great cause of his having it. In his anxiety for his 
neighbor's best good he would doubtless say to him that he had 
some first rate fruit in his garden, that had never failed of suit- 
ing those who had given it a fair trial, and that the tree that 
bore this beautiful fruit had some very peculiar and extraordi- 
nary qualities. One was that the older the tree grew the greater 
quantity and fairer fruit it bore, and if he would try the experi- 
ment he would freely give him some scions, and would assist him 
in grafting them into his tree that bore the fruit that he so much 
disliked. If he would consent to take his saw and cut off the 
branch, he would be much pleased, as it was a business that he 
had practiced in his own garden, which was the sole cause that 
he had the beautiful fruit, and it had become one of his greatest 
pleasures to see a more than worthless tree improved upon, 
and made to be useful and bear much good fruit. His neighbor 
doubtless would willingly consent to take his kind friend's advice. 
But on the other hand if he were to go to his neighbor in a spirit 
of dictation and say to him that he was no gardener, that his gar- 



22 

den contained nothing good, judging him without testing any of 
#13 qualities of his fruit, accuse him of sloth, negligence, of 
being without economy, and not fit to live amongst decent 
men, that he ought to have a master or guardian, that there 
ought to be a law enacted, to have such men as he put into some 
prison or on board of some whale ship, where he would be obliged 
to obey his superior, that he was a vagabond and a great nui- 
sance to all decent society, &c. Common sense if nothing more, 
teaches that conduct like this is calculated to do much mischief, 
that in no case can it be attended with good results, no reforma- 
tion can be brought about in this way. It is truly said that 
charity covers a multitude of sins, and that love is the fulfilling 
of the law. 

I will now pass to the closing part of my subject and will here 
state that it is evident to the spiritual mind that spiritualism is 
produced by two causes, one of which is natural, the other is 
spiritual. The natural is produced by natural causes, and the 
spiritual by spiritual. The spiritual imparts spiritual knowledge 
to the spiritual man in proportion to his advancement or pro- 
gression in spiritual science ; the natural imparts natural knowl- 
edge to the natural man in proportion to his advancement or pro- 
gression in natural science, the natural being a perfect corres- 
pondence of the spiritual. The natural man may make great 
proficiency in natural science, but cannot become perfect therein, 
neither can he understand one particle of spiritual truth by it, 
consequently he cannot be spiritually saved from sin by any 
knowledge he gains in this way ; the spiritual man may become 
perfect in both. Electricity is also of two kinds, one is natural 
the other is spiritual ; the natural is produced by natural causes, 
and operates wholly on natural things and through natural 
agencies. The spiritual is produced by spiritual causes and ope- 
rates wholly on spiritual things and through spiritual agencies. 
Natural electricity is the main agent by which every species of 
animal magnetism is produced. No person can be a medium of 
animal magnetism that enjoys perfect health ; hence the more 
the nervous system of the medium is distracted or disordered 
the better the medium, as the tendency to conceive electricity is 
greater in proportion to the unhealthy state of the subject. The 



23 

more robust, healthy and vigorous the operator or inagnetizer, 
the better, as such contain more heat, consequently can create 
more electricity in the medium, and convey it -with greater power 
into the nervous system of the subject. Spiritual electricity con- 
veys spiritual truth alone through spiritual agencies. The infi- 
nite is alone the operator — the more spiritual the more holy, the 
more perfect the medium, the better the subject, hence it is plain 
that such will be more used by the Infinite to promulgate His 
truth to the world, as all His mediums are used in proportion to 
their spiritual attainments. Spiritual mediums always have per- 
fect knowledge of what comes to their spiritual minds by their 
infinite operator or magnetizer and always are infinitely benefit- 
ted. The natural medium does not know what passes through 
his or her mind, by the natural magnetizing power of the mag- 
netizer, therefore, it is perfectly plain to the spiritual mind that 
such medium receives more or less injury, by being operated 
upon, and in time may be ruined in natural health. Natural 
electricity, is caused by heat, and is created by the natural sun, 
and is the medium through which all natural things are purified, 
without which there could not exist vegetable or animal life. 
The natural sun being the pure magnetic pole of this solar sys- 
tem, and being a luminous body of pure fire, also the sole crea- 
tor of electricity ; was there no heat, there would be no electricity. 
The larger bodies throughout all nature, attracting the lesser, the 
the lesser bodies throughout all nature, are repulsive to those 
that are larger, as they all contain repulsive qualities ; all bodies 
attract according to their kind or quality. Impure gases are 
the causes of all disease in the vegetable, animal, or elemen- 
tary kingdom ; no body will ever be injured by electricity 
that does not emit impure gas, unless it be near some substance 
tjaat is effected by it. To illustrate, I will here say that when the 
air becomes impure to a certain degree by the decomposition of 
vegetable or animal substances, the heat of the sun creates elec- 
tricity where the impurity exists, and cause* the electric fluid to 
ignite with the impure air or gas, which becomes an explosive 
combustion, hence comes the explosion or thunder and lightning. 
There is no natural electricity where there is no natural impuri-^ 
ty of air, therefore there is no electricity above or outside of any 



24 

of the atmospheres, of any of the planets, as these elements are 
perfectly pure. Spiritual electricity cannot possibly exist in 
any being endowed with reasoning faculties, at any greater ex- 
tent than such being becomes spiritual minded, hence it is plain 
that no being destitute of spiritual knowledge can receive spirit- 
ual communication from any other source. Earthquakes are 
caused sometimes by the earth's emitting impure air or gas, the 
sun creating electricity in the same way that it does on the ele- 
ments above. Sometimes they are caused by the heat in the 
earth's centre, which creates electricity that ignites to the im- 
pure gas, which become inflammable, hence the earthquake 
or explosion. There are two kinds of valuation to all intel- 
ligent beings, one is spiritual the other is natural. The for- 
mer is valued according to their spiritual attainments, and 
are rewarded with infinite life, temporal blessing and happi- 
ness, in proportion to their spiritual acquirements ; the latter are 
valued according to their temporal attainments, and are reward- 
ed with temporal blessings, that ends at the close of their natu- 
ral lives. Hence it is perfectly plain, that as the heavens are high- 
er than the earth, so is the state of the spiritual man to that of 
the carnal or temporal man, after the close of this mortal life. 
The true and only saving sect or church contains all those that 
possess spiritual or infinite knowledge in proportion to their spirit- 
ual attainments, and none others, it being aperfect sect or church, 
consequently contains no alloy ; this church cannot be seen or 
known by natural senses, it is only seen or known by those who 
possess infinite truth in proportion to the spiritual knowledge 
they possess. Infiniteor spiritual truth which are synonymous 
terms, always has and always will be at the head ofthis church. 
From what I have before stated, I think no one of intelligence 
that may read this little work, can mistake my meaning, and the doc- 
trines that I fully believe. As some may be led to ask who and 
what is God ? I will answer that every thing animate and inanimate, 
visible and invisible, in all nature, is God, without which vegetable, 
animal, spiritual or infinite life could not possibly exist. It takes the 
whole machinery of nature to create spiritual or infinite life, and a 
sphere wherein it can dwell. Also, the transgression of all of na- 
ture's laws cause punishment in proportion to the crime committed, 
and it is infinitely impossible for man to avoid it. 



IX 



CAUSE OF THE POTATO DISEASE, 



AND ITS BEST BEMEDY. 



The author claims to be the first discoverer of the cause of 
the potato disease, also the method to effect its cure, by the 
following hypothesis : 

First. — The potato became diseased by selecting and cutting 
inferior seed, a method that should not be practiced in any case. 
As the most perfect, of a medium size, should be selected for 
seed and planted without cutting. 

Second. — The disease having formed an epidemic, which in a 
certain stage of the potato's growth, causes the vine to emit im- 
pure gas that ignites with electricity, and causes almost instanta- 
neous destruction to the greater part of the potatoes, affecting 
the most perfect that are nearest the main stock by far the most. 

Remedy. First. — To prevent electricity from igniting the 
impure gas emitted from the potato vine, lightning rods about 
three-eighths of an inch in diameter, fifteen feet long, or there- 
abouts, twenty feet apart each way, should be placed firmly 
in the ground in the potato field, that they may remain in as 
perpendicular manner as possible, with the points upwards to pre- 
vent the electric fluid from igniting the impure gas that may 
be emitted from the vine of the potato. 

Second. — Horizontal rods size of telegraphic wires about four 
feet above the potato vines, with uprights pointed and tinned or 
silvered, four feet long and twenty feet apart on the horizontal 
rods. The under end to be bent in a short curve, the ends 
placed one foot in the ground on the outside of the field. The 
horizontal rods should rest on glass placed on uprights, four feet 
above the vines. As soon as the blight makes its appearance on 
the leaves of the potato vine, a small quantity of chloride of lime 
may be used with good success as a purifier, by strewing it over 
the vines once or twice a week, but will not effect a cure without 
the aid of the rods aforesaid. 



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